HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM KEEN!

The holidays are here! Thanksgiving is the kick-off of a fun season and we're very thankful to share it with our friends and family.

Wherever you spend Thanksgiving, we hope you have the chance to think about just a few things you're thankful for during a time that's ideal for appreciating the little things. We love being based in beautiful Traverse City, where a walk down the block is sure to involve a few familiar faces each and every time. We're close to beautiful trails, lakes, rivers, great companies and truly inspirational people. Our appreciation for this area is one of many motivating factors for doing what we do; we want to protect this place for future generations to enjoy.

As you fire up the oven and get cookin', you can fold some of your energy-friendly efforts into prepping for Thursday's feast. We have just a few tips ready to make your Thanksgiving a little more efficient!

-Turn down the thermostat. With the oven on, more people hanging around, and plenty of stuff on the stove top, your home should stay plenty toasty even at 55-60 degrees!

- Be patient, and don't look in the oven. Every time the oven door is popped open, it loses around 25 degrees. That causes it to use more energy to level out the heat. If you really need to check, use the light and consider a meat thermometer to make sure the bird is on track.

- Because it's open, the stove top is the least efficient mechanism for cooking. When you can, use the microwave, crockpot, or warming plate to cook or keep things warm as much as possible. Some toaster ovens can use up to half as much energy as a stove top in the same amount of cook time.

- Use glass or ceramic. Glass and ceramic transfer heat much better than metal, and you can often cook at lower temperatures in these materials, typically 25 or so degrees lower. Alternatively, you can usually pull dishes cooked in glass or ceramic a bit earlier than in a metal pan; this is a great tip for those last-to-the-table sides, too!

We're always looking for a way to make the world a better place, from the kitchen to the warehouse and everywhere in between. Enjoy your Thanksgiving, everyone!